Crutches, canes and other human support or human assistance apparatuses have been used for many years. It has been recognized by users and others that the placement of weight on the apparatuses can cause discomfort and/or other related problems with the user. For instance, a person on crutches typically develops sore hands or the palms of their hands from placing excess weight on the handle portion of the crutch, especially when the person is not accustomed to placing his weight on the crutch. The placement of too much weight on the hands over a period of time can also cause injury to the person's hand and/or wrist and worsen other pre-existing conditions such as arthritis, carpal-tunnel syndrome, etc.
A person using a crutch and placing too much weight on the underarm cushion or support can cause soreness and injury to the underarm of the person.
Further, there are certain people who have problems with their hands, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, who have great difficulty in using canes and using crutches because of the excess pressure placed on their hands. People with these other disorders are therefore much less mobile than they otherwise would be due to the current state of the art of hand based weight distribution systems and their inability to use the devices for extended periods of time.
It has been found by the inventor that redistributing the weight from the human body from either the armpits or from the palm of the hand on the handle to the knuckles and the forearm has beneficial and improved effects on the user of the body support apparatus. The redistribution of the weight forces through the knuckles and to and/or through the forearm increases the comfort and decreases some of the problems associated with the placement of the weight of the user's body on the palms of the hand and/or in the armpits.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved hand or arm based weight distribution system, or body support apparatus.